SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College basketball teams remained unbeaten at home with a pair of sizable victories Monday night at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum in their first court action since returning from the Thanksgiving holiday break. The EMCC Lady Lions claimed a 72-53 win over Snead State Community College despite a late run by the visitors, while the Lions capped the night with a commanding 105-40 victory over Royal Ambassadors Prep.
The Lady Lions scored the last six points of the opening quarter to take a 16-8 lead and then held a pair of 18-point advantages during the second quarter before holding a 34-22 halftime lead.
The margin continued to increase following intermission with EMCC outscoring Snead State, 23-11, during the third quarter to head to the final period with a comfortable 24-point (57-33) cushion. The lead ballooned to 30 points (65-35) three minutes into the fourth quarter before the visitors scored 15 unanswered points during a three-minute stretch late in the half to cut the deficit to 67-53 with 2:14 remaining in the game.
Coach Sharon Thompson's Lady Lions finally broke their four-minute scoring drought with a Tye Metcalf 3-pointer and a pull-up jumper by Topazia Hawkins within the final minute of play to secure the 19-point home triumph.
Metcalf, Hawkins and Ja'Mia Hollings all tied for team scoring honors with 15 points apiece for the 6-2 Lady Lions. Jackson State transfer Taylor Lattimore added 10 points for the winners, while Maddie Riley just missed recording a double-double with nine points and 12 rebounds.
Falling to 7-3 on the year, the Lady Parsons of Snead State were led by Connie Clarke's game-high 21 points. Tamia Knight followed with a dozen points for the visitors.
In the men's nightcap, the home-standing Lions were primed and ready for some post-Thanksgiving action after battling through a recent challenging stretch of five games in eight days, including three losses to nationally ranked foes (Northwest Florida State, Gulf Coast State & Shelton State), just prior to the week-long holiday break.
Contact: David Rosinski, EMCC Sports Information Director